Spain’s Constitutional Court forbade the referendum, and national police have been out in growing force trying to undermine the lead-up to the vote. Still, there’s little sign they’re going to be able to prevent the vote outright, and mostly they’re just angering everybody in the region.

If anything, there’s some speculation that Spain’s crackdown is likely to sway the outcome more in favor of secession, as the pro-secession crowd is more mobilized than ever, and resentment is soaring. Polls had previously shown Catalonia widely split on the issue.

Leaders of the region say the referendum will take place irrespective of moves against them. In the meantime, however, talk of a general strike is mounting, and prosecutors are threatening sedition charges for the pro-secession movement.